Welcome back as we continue to glide, hopefully, not on thin ice, from bones to blades, whether it be outside on the many open-air ice rinks the Town of Peace River provides, or on frozen ponds in our backyards. It may even be on rinks cleared on Bear Lake (Lac Cardinal), in Queen Elizabeth ll Provincial Park in preparation for Pond Hockey on Family Day weekend.

Going back to the 1700s, immigrants began arriving in New France from Europe, where skating was popular. Skates came with them. They were used to skate on the streets of Quebec. This resulted in a cease and desist ordinance – no deterrent to determined skaters.

As mentioned in last week’s Ponderings, a revolution in ice skates began in 1914. The closed toe blade made of one piece of steel allowed for lighter, stronger and more comfortable skates. This is not so difficult to imagine when one harkens to the shin-bone blades of thousands of years ago. Not surprisingly, increased comfort encouraged more people to indulge in ice skating.

Figure, or as some call it “fancy” skating is the oldest discipline in the Winter Olympics. It received its name from the prescribed precision patterns, or figures required in competitions until the early 1990s. Precision footwork, necessary to perform spins, axles and Salchows is enabled by the blade, featuring “large jagged teeth” – toe picks, as well as a special design providing two edges – inside and outside, which are used to generate speed. The blades are screwed to custom-made (in the case of professional skaters) thick, stiff leather boots with extra laces and wide tongues to provide ankles with a combination of flexibility and support.

The sport began to evolve after 1742. In the meantime, free skating – “a more theatrical approach that incorporated elements of dance with jumps and spins was being promoted as the “Viennese” school. Jackson Haines, an American ballet master, introduced music to the ice in the 1860s, producing the style that became free skating.” Haines inspired “fancy” skating in Canada as he toured its eastern and central regions.

According to one account, “As far back as 1908, figure skating competitions were included in the Summer Olympics in London, and in 1920 at the Antwerp Games. As of the 1924 Olympics in Paris, singles and pair skating became a fixed part of the Olympic Winter Program.”

Although Canadians did well in competition throughout the years, it wasn’t until after the Second World War that 15-year-old Barbara Ann Scott of Ottawa established her country as “an important figure skating nation”. A hockey-sock full of top-notch skaters followed her example.

International figure skating has not been without its controversies involving not only skaters, but also judges. In one instance, Canadian pairs skaters Salé and Pelletier, according to judging, lost to the Russians in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. This decision was contested. This led to the discovery of fraudulent judging by a French judge. The discovery resulted in the awarding of double gold medals – to the Russian pairs and Salé and Pelletier.

There are those who contend figure skating is not a sport nor is it athletic. Really! It may not be knock ’em down, drag ’em out (unless one considers the 1994 Lillehammer Nancy Kerigan/Tanya Harding fiasco), nevertheless, it takes skill and physical and mental strength beyond what most of us can imagine. It requires courage, style, technical prowess, and a quality we hear touted so much in sports interviews – composure.

These attributes may be seen in the Peace River Skating Club’s skaters as they practice and compete on ice of the Baytex Energy Centre, formerly Kinsmen Arena built in 1978.

Now, its time to move on to another skating element – one quicker paced and one with its own demands for training and performing and of the skates worn to perform.

The start date of speed skating in Canada is not known for certain. There are, however a number of stories – legends. One has it starting on the St. Lawrence River, as far back as 1854. It is said, without proof, three British military officers raced on the frozen St. Lawrence River from Montréal to Québec City – a distance that by car, today, would take approximately three hours. It truly begs the question – is the story plausible?

It is known speed skating was well established in Canada as both a participatory past time, as well as an onlookers delight by 1887. Ten years later, Montréal hosted the World Speed Skating Championships in which Canada, Germany and Norway competed. A Winnipeger, Jack McCulloch, won the world title that year.

It was also in French surroundings the sport debuted in the 1924 Winter Games at Chamonix. Speed skaters compete, on specifically-designed boots and blades, at varying distances – short track (111 metres on an ice hockey rink) and long track (440 metres). Speed skates, sometimes called clap skates, are remarkable. The blade is not rigidly attached to the boot, but rather hinged, “allowing the [long] blade [extending beyond the heel and toe of the boot] to remain in contact with the ice longer, as the ankle can now be extended toward the end of the stroke, as well as for more natural movement, thereby distributing the energy of the leg more effectively and efficiently.” It was developed prior to 1900. But, it was not taken seriously for almost 100 years afterwards.

Alas, after 1935, another sport took over the interest of Canadians. It was a sport that captured imagination and discretionary funds – a sport that hung on through thick and thin – hockey. So well captured, it took more than 40 years before another speed skating medal was won by a Canadian. This time, it was a silver by a woman – Cathy Priestner in the 500-metre at Innsbruck. As recently as last week, Jamie Gregg of Edmonton, won a bronze in the same distance at the Essent ISU (International Skating Union) World Cup at the Olympic Oval in Calgary (built for the 1988 Winter Olympics).

Closer to home, the Northern Lites Speed Skating Club, skating out of the Baytex Energy Centre, has been part of the Peace River speed skating scene for almost 13 years. It attracts skaters of varying abilities, 5-18 years, from the area. Club members compete with several other regional clubs and those beyond. “It’s a go hard, compete hard atmosphere. Meets are also like a big family reunion. The speed skating clubs help each other and you get to meet a lot of people,” a November 21, 2012, Record-Gazette article quotes Northern Lites Speed Skating Club President Al Benson.

Clarification: George McKenzie’s Snowshoes were loaned – not donated as indicated in Part 1. Apologies for the confusion.